THE site of a proposed housing development for Malvern Link should be used instead to provide playing fields, says a new report on open spaces.

The former allotment site off Lower Howsell Road is mentioned in the report, compiled by Malvern Hills District Council to help it define which sites need to be protected from development.

The report may also help to protect the area's other open spaces, saying development should be "carefully considered". Malvern faces a "significant shortfall" of open space, judged by the standards of the National Playing Fields Association.

"The demand for football pitches in particular is high and there is concern over quality of pitches and the lack of adequate changing facilities," says the report.

Bovis Homes of Cheltenham submitted in an outline application to build housing on the 12-acre Lower Howsell site, part of the Madresfield estate, as long ago as June 1999.

But more than 100 local residents have lodged objections to the plan, as has Malvern Town Council, saying development of the site would not be in the public interest.

The new report, Open Space In Malvern, has been approved by MHDC's Executive Board "for the purpose of development control and Local Plan review".

And this could put an additional weapon into the hands of opponents of the development scheme.

Lower Howsell Road resident Chris Burger said: "This report sounds extremely useful. We've been saying all along that housing is being developed without any real thought for the provision of open space."

David Murray, of Malvern Hills District Council's planning department, said the Lower Howsell Road plan would not be coming up at January's planning committee meeting.

An earlier attempt to develop the land resulted in a planning appeal in which the Government inspector suggested MHDC buy the land as open space. However, the Council decided it could not afford it.

A Bovis spokesman said: "Bovis Homes and its consultants have been actively seeking the opinions of all involved in the discussions regarding the future use of this land.

"Information regarding plans for this privately-owned land will be made publicly available and we will respond to issues raised over the debate on public open space."

Another piece of land in Malvern mentioned in the report is open space behind Hayslan Road, which is part-owned by Malvern Girls' College. Some residents have been trying to get protected from any development with village green status. In 1999, MHDC looked at buying this land as well, but once again it could not find the cash.